Chloridizing apparatus.



PATBNTED DEG. 4; 1906.

J. E. GREBNAWALT.

CHLORIDIZING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAE.27, 1905. V

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

"7% Bf; r

No. 837,500. PATBNTED'DEG. 4, 1900.

J. .B. GRBENAWALT,

GHLORIDIZING APPARATUS.- APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 27, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. GREENAlVAL'I, OF DEXVICR, COLORADO.

'CHLORIDIZING APPARATUS.

lo which it appertains to make and use the zo the volatilization of the metallic values.

same, reference being had to the accompanying dra-wings, and to the -iigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specitication. p )Iy invention relates to improvements in apparatus for chlolidizing orcs; and its obliect is the treatment of ores when in a heated condition by the use of chlorin gas in such a manner as to prevent a loss resulting from In oxidizing roasting gold, silver, and copper ores perceptible losses of this character very rarely occur. If, however` salt (chlorid of sodium) is added to chloridize the silver, &c.., a considerable loss generally occurs not only of the silver and copper, but alsoof the gold.

IVhen an ore is roasted with salt, the lirst chlorm released acts upon the baser elements in the ore, and 1t 1s only after free chlorm is 3o released from the ore. that the metals volatil- 4o soluble chlorids.

My improved apparatus embraces a chloridizinr-tank in the lower portion of which is locatetI a cooling device, the tank having an escapeppening below the cooling device,

means for stirring the ore, whereb'yit is gradually and continuously moved through the chloridizing-chamber, means for delivering' a chloridizing-gas to the upper part of the chloridizing-chamber, whereby it is adapted to 5o act on the ore while in a heated condition,

and means for condensing any valuable fumes or gases which may have escaped from the chloridizing-chamber.

Having brieiy outlined my improved con- 5 5" struction, as Well as the function it is intend- Speccation of Letters Patent.

Application ille-.l March 27.1905. Serial No. 252.108.

ed to perform, I will proceed to describe the Patented Dec. 4, 1906.

same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which is,illus' trated an emlmdiment thereof.

In t-he` drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of the chloridizing-tank and condensingchamber. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the chloridizing-tank, taken o'n the line l 2, Fig. 1.. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the cliloridizing-tank andthe operating mechanism employed in connection' thereuith. In this view the upper part of the tank is broken away.

The same reference characters indicate the same partsin all the views. i

rIllie chloridizingytank consists, preferably, ofan outer shell 1, of sheet-steel, closed on top and connected with Athe pipe 3 through a gat e-valve 4. The upper portion of the tank is lined with brick 5 in order to" retain the heat of the'ore until the chlorin gas has acted uponit. In the lower central portion of the tank is cooli11g-chamber, whereby the ore is cooled.` and the volatile fumes from the upper portion of the ore condensed to a very great extent. This cooling device consists of a cylindrical water-tight shell with a pipe 7 at the bottom for supplying the same with water and an escape-pipe S at theI top for the discharge of the hot water and steam formed. The weight ot' the cooling -chamber and ore above it is supported by heavy steel I-' beams 9. About fourteen inchesl below these beams is a horixrmtal tloor 1t),with a circular hole 11 in the center. 'lhrough this hole passes a vertical shaft' 12, provided at its upper extremity `with a projecting arm 13. This shaft, together with its arm, is given a rotary motion from a shaft 15 by means of the bevel-gears 14. The shaft 1 5 may be operated from any suitable source of power. inclined partition 16, located below the open- ,ing 11, forms a chute to guide the ore into the screw conveyer 17, where it is properly moistened by water supplied by a pipe 1S. rlhe screw conveyor discharges the ore from aA trough A 'into a receiving-car B. 'l`he conveyer-shaft (l is connected in operative relation with the shaft 15 by means of gearing D.

In operation the hot ore is brought from the roasting-furnace by a c: and discharged into the chloridizing-tank through a pipe 3. communicating with an opening in the top of the tank. The tank is first lilled with orc and kept :filled by supplying the red-hot ore at intervals of, say, every four hours; but it is constantly and continnonslv ramowd at the ICO IIO

bottom by the agitating Vor stirring arm 13. When the arm 13 is at rest, the angle with the iioor l() formed by the ore around the opening 11 is such that it remains at rest until the-movement of the arm withdraws it and delivers it to the chute 16. In this way the ore body is constantly lowered without channeling and passes downwardly through the tank slowly and at the same rate that it is being withdrawn at the bottom. The chlorin or 'its equivalent is introduced through the pipe 20. IVhen the valve 4 in the pipe 3 is closed, the entireupper portion of the tank is gas-tight, and a pressure of a few pounds is sufficient under most conditions to cause the gas to permeate the entire mass of hot ore and percolate downwardly through the ore inA the chloridizing tank or chamber. In this manner the chlorin gas acts upon the hot ore, chloridizing the silver and the other chloridizable substances contained in the ore. However, before the inert gases that may be mixed with the chlorin or the surplus can escape from the tank they must percolate through the cooling zone or lower portion of the ore surrounding the water-cooled shell 6, where the temperature of the volatilized Y' fumes is reduced sufficiently to cause precipitation to a considerable extent. 5 rIhe escaping gases and steam caused by moistening the ore in che screw conveyer are passed into the condensing-chamber E, whereby the remaining values contained in the gases are completely precipitated. vWhile I prefer the use of chlorin gas generated electrolytically for this purpose, it is evident that hydrochlori J acid or such other gas as sulfuric gas when thel ore contains salt would answer the purpose. The presence of air in the gascurrent also aids the chloridization of the ore. In order to make -the chloridizing operation continuous, I have provided a vent or escapepassage for the unconsumed or inert gases.

The lower part of the condensing-chamber E is provided with compartments F, connected by a-port G". These chambers communicate with the upper part. of the chamber, which is iilled with checker-workG.. Above 'this checker-work perforated pipes I-I are located and supply the chamber with the necessary water for condensing purposes. The

waste gases which are not condensed in the chamber E escape at the top of the chamber through a conduit I.

In F ig. ofthe drawings the ore in the chloridizing-tank is indicated and. designated bythe letter J. The arrows in this view indicate the passage of chlorin gas downwardly through the ore. The water in the cooling device 6 is designated in all the views by the letter K.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In chloridizing apparatus, the combination of a chloridizing-chamlier, containing a chloridizing Zone and a cooling Zone, means for passing the ore from the chloridizing zone to the 4cooling zone and thence removing it from the chamber, and means introduci from the chamber, and means for introducing a chloridiZing-gas into the chloridizing zone of the chamber.

2. In chloridizing apparatus, the combination of Ka chloridizing-chamber, lmeans for passing the cre through the chamber, means for cooling the ore, means for passing a current of chloridizing-gas through the ore within the chamber and in the same direction as the travel of the ore.

3. In lchloridizing apparatus, the combination of a chloridizing-chamber, a condensingchamber, and means for passing a current of chloridizing-gas through the ore in the chloridizing-chamber, and means for conducting the fumes or gases reniaining after the'ore has left the chloridizing-chamber, into the condensing-chamber.

4. In a chloridizing apparatus, the combination of a chIoridizing-chamber having a cooling zone, a condensing-chamber, means `for introducing;chloridizinggas into the chloridizing-chamlier, means for withdrawing the ore from the said chamber, and means .for moistening the ore after it has left the chamber. .f

In testimony whereof I aiiix'my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E, GREENAWALT. 

